All The King's Men
by Grey Darklight
Summary: House Skywalker, led by Anakin Skywalker, rules the Kingdom of Coruscant, as he eliminated Sidious and a majority of the Jedi who rebelled against their king. The once-great Republic has turned into a monarchy, but it prospers nonetheless. Kenobi was exiled after taking part in the Jedi rebellion years ago. So what happens when him and his daughter are invited back to court?
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

Many years ago, on a planet far, far away, there existed the Kingdom of the Republic, which had both elected officials known as a Senate and a nobility, as well as a king, known as a Chancellor. It was known as the Republic of Coruscant, and it was bravely defended by the knights of the Republic, otherwise known as the Jedi, who had mysterious powers known as the Force. However, the Republic was besieged with internal strife, and there was a major revolt in the kingdom known as the Clone Wars.

A cruel senator by the name of Palpatine became Chancellor, and attempted to convert the Republic into an Empire, with him as the sole Emperor. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker put an end to his reign of tyranny, betraying and killing the man he had once considered a friend.

However, Anakin, for reasons unknown to all, took the throne for himself, renouncing his vows as a Jedi, marrying a lady of the royal House of Naberrie whom he loved by the name of Padmé Amidala, and becoming the king of all of Coruscant. Anakin Skywalker had been a war hero, and his popularity led to a peaceful upheaval of the Republic, with the monarchy, the king, and the royal houses of nobility abolishing the Senate and usurping power.

The Jedi, sworn to protect peace, freedom, and justice, refused to accept Anakin Skywalker as their monarch. They waged a rebellion against their so called king, joined by a few senators such as Mon Mothma of the province of Chandrila. However, the Jedi rebellion was crushed by the Imperial troops, as the Jedi had already been greatly weakened by years of infighting in the Republic.

Indeed, the Jedi Order was nearly extinct. Very few Jedi escaped Coruscant with their heads intact, and only the few who remained loyal to Skywalker were given a royal pardon. There was an exception to this rule, however, an exception by the name of Obi-wan Kenobi.

There was a time when the names of Kenobi and Skywalker were synonymous with one another. Where there was one, you would always find the other. They were more like brothers than friends, and the entire population of Coruscant was shocked when Kenobi sided with the Jedi over Skywalker. His betrayal cut Anakin deeply, but in truth, no one was truly surprised. Kenobi had always been extremely loyal to his ideals.

Thus, there was no Jedi that Skywalker pursued more than his former best friend and closest confidant, Obi-wan Kenobi. They fought a terrible battle on the province of Mustafar, with horrible casualties on both sides. Kenobi eventually overwhelmed Skywalker in the duel that would follow, but he found himself unable to kill him.

As a result, Skywalker's troops were able to rescue Anakin and capture Kenobi. Despite his friend's betrayal, Anakin decided to spare Lord Kenobi's life, as Obi-wan had spared his. He exiled Obi-wan and his wife, the duchess Satine, to the province of Tatooine, with a manor house and a few men, located on the outskirts of the kingdom of Coruscant, known as the Outer Rim.

There, Kenobi lives in exile with his young daughter and his wife, secretly training his daughter to be a knight of the Jedi Order(he never really believed in all that gender nonsense anyway, his child was going to be a Jedi whether the kid was a girl or boy). Keeping the values of the Order alive in his family, not knowing that his entire world is about to descend into chaos...

END OF PROLOGUE

* * *

Rey narrowly blocked the blow before countering with a parry of her own. Sweat glistened on her forehead as she attempted to disarm her opponent, but unfortunately he was far more skilled than she was. He quickly caught her blow from underneath and flipped the blade out of her hand.

"Never let your guard down, Rey. In a real fight, I would've just killed you ten times over."

"Sorry, father," Rey mumbled, but when she looked up, her father was looking at her kindly, no judgement in his gaze. "There's nothing wrong with making mistakes, Rey. All that matters is that we learn from them." He lead Rey out of the small sword fighting arena, retiring their lightsabers for the day.

He put an arm around Rey's shoulders, and together, the two of them walk back to their mansion, where Rey's mother, Satine, was waiting for them. "Obi-wan, really, a proper lady doesn't need to know how to sword fight. A lady should be practicing her knitting and dancing," Satine reprimanded her husband and daughter softly, but in a tone that conveyed that she was merely jesting.

Rey knew her mother, the former duchess of Mandalore, didn't exactly approve of Rey's pursuit of "un-lady-like" activities. The exact opposite of her father, who actually encouraged them. A lady of noble birth like her was supposed to learn knitting and other skills that would make her a good homemaker and wife(the word made Rey cringe). However, Satine would never stand in the way of her only child's happiness, and if wielding weapons was what Rey wanted to learn, then she would let her learn it, however begrudgingly.

However, there was a tightness in her mother's gaze that immediately told Rey that something was wrong. Her father must have seen it too, because he quickly told Rey to upstairs and wash up for dinner, leaving him alone with Satine.

* * *

"Satine? What is it?" Obi-wan questioned carefully.

"Obi-wan, an imperial messenger just stopped by with some news. It's the King's Advisor, Lord Tarkin. He just died from a heart attack."

Obi-wan frowned. There was no love lost between Tarkin and the Kenobis; the man was a brutal commander that was responsible for the deaths of several Jedi. So why was Satine so upset?

"There's more," Satine continued, her fingers shaking ever so slightly. "Obi-wan, the King is coming here. To Tatooine."

Obi-wan blinked. "You're joking."

"I'm not. The king is on his way, and he should be here in a fortnight. I've already started to make preparations for his arrival. He'll be bringing almost his entire royal court with him."

"The entire court?" Obi-wan hissed, leaning on the wall to steady himself. "Why would he... I don't understand. Satine, he hates this place. And he hates me. We haven't seen each other in years, and he's never expressed a desire to come here before. Why would he come here after all these years?"

"I don't know. But I will be carrying a blaster in my hand during this whole visit. If he thinks he can drag you back to Coruscant to execute you or something else equally ridiculous, he'll have to deal with me."

Obi-wan chuckled despite the direness of the situation, brushing a few blonde strands from his wife's forehead, which was flushed with anger.

He turned to the window in the palace corridor, staring at the sunset pensievely. "This has something to do with Tarkin's death, there's no way these two events are unrelated. Perhaps he wants me to be..." Obi-wan trailed off. No.

Anakin couldn't possible want Obi-wan to replace Tarkin, could he?

* * *

Rey Kenobi was very confused. Ever since her light saber practice with papa, her parents had been speaking in hushed voices, a worried tone slipping through their words.

Their servants had been hanging decorations all day, trying to spruce up their old manor. Father had been with his troops nearly all day. Everywhere Rey went, people spoke and acted as if they were preparing for something horrible to happen. Satine had certainly been on edge, forbidding Rey to go to the town, making her practice her manners and other more ladylike activities, as well as temporarily cancelling her saber lessons.

Finally, Rey's mother quietly informed her that the King would be making a visit, which was why her manners had to be impeccable. Which didn't make any sense, because Rey couldn't remember the King ever visiting them before. In fact, Rey was fairly sure that her father and the King weren't on good terms. So this whole "visit" was rather suspicious, in her eyes.

"Papa, maybe we should run," Rey suggested, much to the amusement of her father when they went out riding one day. Being in the manor was too stifling for both of them, with the air of doom permeating the entire household. "Where would we run, little one? The King would find us wherever we go. Remember what I told you, Rey. Jedi do not run when things get difficult."

"That reminds me, don't mention the Jedi, or your abilities in the Force, to the King or anyone in his court, understand? It has to be our little secret." Rey nodded, internally groaning. No Force powers for who knows how long...

Obi-wan bent down, so he was at eye-level with his young daughter. "Rey, we must be careful. These people are not like the people on Tatooine, understand? At least here, people are honest about their intentions, fair or foul. Coruscant isn't like that. Trust no one."

Rey tilted her head in understanding. She may be young, but she was precocious for her age. She knew that this King was not a man to be trifled with. Obi-wan stared at her, dead serious, before grinning mischievously and tugging on his horse's reins and taking off into the woods, as Rey laughed and ran after him.

She wished it could always be like this, with the wind whipping her hair and the sensation of riding her horse making her feel like she was flying. Riding, fighting, using the Force... it was the only time when Rey ever truly felt free.

She had told her father this many years ago, to which he had merely smiled. "You're too much like me, Rey. Your mother and the few nobles here on Tatooine all grew up in royalty, as members of the court, but I grew up a Jedi. People like you and me... we're different than the others. The blood of warriors runs in our veins, the desire to be free, to help others, to not be constricted by the oppressive society that we are a part of." Rey loved both her parents, but at that moment, she had known that it was her father who really understood her. Understood that she didn't want to be a lady and marry some high lord.

She wanted to be a knight.

* * *

Finally, the day arrived when they would greet the king. Obi-wan, Satine, and all of his men and servants of the manor house assembled outside, awaiting the arrival of their king. "Obi-wan, where's Rey?" Satine suddenly whispered, and Obi-wan scanned the clearing for his daughter.

He saw her seconds later, running to both of them. She had dressed in some worn, navy blue dress that Satine had left for her. Obi-wan could see the brown riding boots peeking out from underneath her dress, and immediately knew exactly what she had been doing. Riding her horse, Bee.

"Rey! Is it too much to ask for you to be on time for once!" Satine hissed, fussing with her only child's hair slightly. Obi-wan simply smiled and brushed a little dirt off her shoulder. "There. Perfect. No need to be so hard on her Satine, she can't be a knight without her horse." Satine rolled her eyes as Rey beamed at her father. "You encourage her too much," she muttered before directing Rey to her place in the line. Obi-wan knew his beloved wife wasn't truly upset with her daughter. She just didn't want to make a bad first impression, and honestly, he couldn't blame her.

The clip-clip of horseshoes filled the air, as a dozen or so carriages appeared in view. Guards in silver armor flanked the carriages, their eyes alert for any sign of danger. Trumpets announced the arrival of the royal family. The carriages came to a stop, and several nobles exited them, wearing the finest dresses and jewelry that Rey had ever seen. Diamond necklaces, pearl earrings, velvet dresses and vests made of silk... the court was well-known for its extravagance.

Rey spied one soldier almost fall of his horse and tried to suppress a laugh. However, the soldier apparently heard her, as he turned around, his dark brown eyes boring into her own. His own eyes were filled with mirth, acknowledging his mistake and shrugging it off. Strange. Rey didn't think any royal guards knew how to laugh, much less at themselves.

However, it was the man in the last carriage that truly caught Rey's eye. With light brown hair, icy blue eyes and slightly tanned skin, Rey had no doubt that this man was the king himself. The small, golden circlet on his head removed all doubt. Next to him stood his wife, Padmé Amidala. With dark brown, curly, hair and piercing brown eyes, Rey could see why they called her the most beautiful woman in all of Coruscant.

Slightly behind them stood the Skywalker children, who were older than Rey but not by too much. Prince Luke Skywalker was easily recognizable, with a halo of golden-blonde hair and a charming smile. Next to him, there was the stunning Princess Leia, who wore cinnamon buns on the side of her head(a fashion trend, from what Rey had heard. Personally, she thought it looked stupid, but who was she to judge? She wasn't exactly an expert on that kind of thing). She resembled the Queen greatly. Her expression matched her parents; stoic and unfeeling, giving nothing away.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rey saw her father and mother bow, and hastily followed their example, as did the troops stationed on Tatooine under her father and the rest of the household of Kenobi. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Han Solo, a friend of her father's, discreetly mock the expressions on the royals' faces, and she had to suppress a giggle.

Han was something of a troublesome mentor/older brother figure to Rey. Unlike half the people here, Han actually had a sense of humor and he always made her laugh, along with his longtime best friend Chewbacca.

Han had been serving her father ever since Obi-wan had helped out the young, former smuggler years ago. In exchange for paying of Han's debts to Jabba, some utterly repugnant, minor lord in their kingdom, Han had helped Obi-wan catch several major criminals on Tatooine, using his status as a smuggler to go undercover. Together, they had worked to lessen the crime rate on Tatooine and improve the lives of the people. It was another thing that Rey admired about both her parents. While other lords and vassals of greater provinces like Eriadu spent their lives in their grand castles, worrying more about what to wear to court rather than the fact that a majority of their people were starving, Satine and Obi-wan cared more about their people than anything else. From a young age, they had taught Rey to be altruistic above all else, living frugal lifestyles compared to other nobles in order to give more money and resources to their people. It was through their efforts that the poverty rate had declined drastically in their province, which was why the people of Tatooine loved Lord Kenobi. That, and the fact that he didn't hold the same human centrist views that most other nobles held.

"The Jedi believe in treating all life-forms equally Rey, whether they are human, rhodian, Tusken or twi-lek," Obi-wan would always tell her. Satine reinforced the idea, mentioning how the system was unfair and discrimination against non-humans was rampant in their medieval society.

Anyways, the Kenobis kept their head bowed as the royal family approached them, with the king stopping directly in front of them. Rey wished she could squeeze her father's hand in comfort or do something to ease the tension. But her father was clever and skilled in the art of diplomacy, despite being brought up as a soldier; he could handle himself.

"Your highness," Satine murmured softly, and Obi-wan repeated the words. Anakin gazed at the three of them with an unreadable expression on his face before lightly touching his old friend's shoulders, giving him silent permission to stand up. "You've gotten old."

Rey watched the corners of her father's mouth lift up into a smile. "So have you." The king let out a booming laugh before going over to Satine and kissing her hand. He made his way over to Rey, who looked him in the eye. If father was not afraid of this man, she will not be either.

"This must be your daughter. I never met her, did I?" Anakin said before bending down slightly, his eyes lingering over her riding boots and messy hair. "My name is Rey," she introduced, holding out her hand. She heard slight gasps of shock, and too late realized that she wasn't supposed to greet the king so informally.

To her surprise, he merely laughed and shook her hand in return, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth. "And I am Anakin Skywalker. It's nice to meet you."

Next to her, Obi-wan breathed a small sigh of relief. After their last disastrous parting, he wasn't sure how Anakin would take a breach of protocol like that, but he seemed more lighthearted than when Obi-wan had last seen him. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to act around his former friend, now the most powerful man in the galaxy. Anakin seemed willing to let bygones be bygones, but Obi-wan knew that things weren't going to be that simple. He could still see the specks of yellow in his eyes as a testament that this was not the Anakin Skywalker he had known and grown up with as a child.

"Shall we stand in this unbearable heat all day, Lord Kenobi?" the Queen asked teasingly, and Obi-wan shot her a small smile. "No, of course not. A feast has been prepared in your honor. Come," he beckoned, and led the way inside the manor house.

Satine struck up a conversation with Padmé, asking if they had a safe journey. Even Rey had hesitantly started to converse with the prince, in an effort to be as hospitable as possible. "I came here to visit my mother's grave. I never came after she died," Anakin informed him. Obi-wan nodded in acquiescence and internally breathed a sigh of relief. So this was why Anakin had come to visit. That meant that Anakin and his family would be leaving in a short time, and they probably wouldn't be staying more than two or three days. Good. Then they could all put this awkward incident behind them and never have to see each other again. "I also have another proposition, one I'd like to discuss with you in private," Anakin continued in a business-like tone.

"Of course, your grace." The words tasted bitter on Obi-wan's mouth, reminding him of exactly how much had changed since he had last seen Anakin, and all that he had lost. He made the statement with a touch of sarcasm, too subtle for anyone who didn't know Obi-wan all that well to pick up on it.

However, Anakin was not anyone, and Obi-wan knew from his former friend's knowing look that he had caught on to the small act of rebellion, the minuscule sign of disrespect. Honestly, Obi-wan couldn't bring himself to care all that much. Anakin certainly didn't, or else he would have Obi-wan hung on the spot.

He opened the door and allowed everyone inside, greeting all of the nobles.

Just a few more days, and it would all be over.

 **AN: So this is a royal AU. The ages are obviously all different in this story. Obi-wan and Anakin are around the same age in this one, and so are Han, Luke, and Leia, with Rey being slightly younger. Also, you guys must have a ton of questions about this AU. Feel free to ask any questions in a review, I'll try to answer them! In addition, places like Tatooine and Chandrila which are planets in canon are going to be provinces on the planet of Coruscant in this AU. Coruscant is the name of the planet and the capital city in the kingdom. Next, I'll go a bit more into the history behind Kenobi and Skywalker.**


	2. Chapter 2

A great feast had been prepared in honor of the royal guests and nobles. The Kenobis sat at the head table with the Skywalkers, conversing somewhat awkwardly with one another.

"And then Han and Chewie rescued me and started giving me lessons on how to wield a blaster, so that something like that would never happen again. Chewie is great with a blaster." Rey recounted the story of how she had been kidnapped by pirates to Prince Luke and Princess Leia. Both seemed rather intrigued, but upon hearing Chewie's name, Leia stiffened. "The wookie?" she said, wrinkling her nose. Luke's expression seemed to match his sister's.

"His name is Chewbacca, and he's a person," Rey stated heatedly, not liking this girl's tone one bit. At this, Leia's eyes softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or your friend. It's just... things are quite different on Coruscant. You're lucky that you go to to grow up here, away from it all."

Rey nearly spit out her drink. What kind of princess would rather live on Tatooine then Coruscant? Excusing herself from the table, Rey left the room, thinking that maybe she could discreetly practice her archery before going to bed. She turned a corner and crashed into a guard, both of them falling to the floor.

"Oh, uh, pardon me, miss. Are you hurt?" the guard asked, helping Rey up. She could see from the sigil on his breastplate that he was of House Skywalker, but there was something else that seemed vaguely familiar about him. "You... you're the guard that almost fell of his horse today," Rey said, and the guard flushed. "Well, that's not exactly how I want to be remembered, but I am rather new at this. My name is Finn."

"Rey," she introduced herself, shaking the guard's hand. "And I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon enough." Normally, Rey was suspicious of strangers, but something about this Finn character felt different. She wasn't sure why, but she knew that she could trust him.

She let the guard accompany her back to the main hall. To her amusement, Han was bothering the visiting princess, who looked none too pleased with his behavior. Prince Luke was already getting up, prepared to tell off the uncouth smuggler for bothering his sister.

"Han, knock it off," Rey chuckled. Solo never ceased to amuse her with his antics. "Oh, come on. I'm just teasing her worshipfulness." Rey rolled her eyes and dragged the man that was like an older brother to her in the center of the room, to have him dance with her and get him away from the princess. Leia shot her a grateful look before turning around and conversing with her ladies, all of families with prominent positions in the court.

Rey didn't mind, allowing Han to twirl her across the dance floor. She'd take Han over those pretentious girls any day. "So, have any of these pompous prats been bothering you? Say the word and Chewie and I will pay them a visit," Han whispered in her ear. "Han, of course not! And don't go causing an incident now," Rey replied.

"I won't. I just can't stand these brats. They're looking at me like I'm something the cat dragged in."

"They're royals. High Lords and ladies of the court. In their minds, they're just better than the rest of us. Thank goodness we'll never have to go to Coruscant. Can you imagine having to hang out with them all the time?"

* * *

Back at the head table, Lady Kenobi and Queen Skywalker sat next to one another, discussing trivial pleasantries with Lord Kenobi listening in. "Obi-wan? If I could have a moment alone with you?" Anakin's tone made it clear he wasn't really asking. Obi-wan nodded, following the man out of the manor house and into the graveyard. Anakin stopped in front of a grave, sinking to his knees, with Obi-wan sitting down next to him. The words "Shmi Skywalker" were etched in stone, weathered and worn from decades of sandstorms and bad weather.

For a moment, there was absolute silence. And then, Anakin cleared his throat and said gruffly, "Well, it has been a while, hasn't it?" Obi-wan nodded, not knowing what else to say. Talking to Anakin was like walking in a minefield. "I've missed her," Anakin whispered, tracing Shmi's name.

Obi-wan reached out and squeezed his former friend's shoulder, offering comfort despite the circumstances. "She was a remarkable woman, from what you told me."

His companion nodded wordlessly, before saying, "So, planning any revolts against me? A rebellion, perhaps?" His voice was biting, scathing, and filled with accusation, a far cry from what it had been in their younger days. Obi-wan withdrew his hand from Anakin's shoulder as if it were on fire. "Of course not, my king."

Anakin looked Obi-wan in the eye, scanning his Force signature and trying to get past his shielding to tell if he was lying. As a matter of fact, he was not, but that didn't mean Obi-wan was going to let Anakin invade his mind.

Anakin sighed, shaking his head, and continued, "I'm sorry old friend. The politics they play on Coruscant has made me paranoid. Lies and mistrust surround me in my court. And I didn't come here to accuse you of treachery. Quite the opposite, in fact. I take it you know about Tarkin by now. I'm here to make you the new King's Advisor." The auburn haired man blinked. "What?"

Anakin chuckled softly, his laugh echoing through the desolate area. "You know, I've missed you old friend. Before you picked the Jedi over me, you were my closest advisor and friend. You were the only one who wasn't afraid to challenge me. I need that right now, Obi-wan."

Obi-wan pursed his lips, exhaling slightly. "Anakin... I'm. flattered. Truly, I am. But answer is no. I cannot serve a government I do not agree with." The statement was downright treasonous, and if it was anyone else who said it, Obi-wan knew they would be executed. As it was, Anakin's eyes were growing darker, taking on a yellowish tint, a far cry from their normal crystal blue. They were alight with fury. It's almost scary how mercurial he becomes, how quickly Anakin's mood changed.

"How dare you. I have come to rescue you from this wretched desert, forgive you for all your sins and release you from your exile. And this is how you thank me. By rejecting my offer." Obi-wan opens his mouth to speak, but Anakin holds up his hand, and silence follows.

"Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You will return to Coruscant by my side, and you will become my royal advisor. It's not a request, Kenobi. It's an order, from your king." The two stare intensely at one another, neither willing to back down. Finally, Obi-wan broke eye contact and nodded frostily. He is in no position to be refusing a king's order, and he knows it.

Anakin tilted his head, a slightly smug expression on his face. "And you'll bring your daughter with you, of course. Satine may have to stay here to care for you people and keep affairs at the manor running smoothly, but Rey should accompany you. It will get her used to court life. She is, after all, your sole heir, and you'll find good marriage prospects at court. I'm surprised she isn't betrothed already."

Obi-wan barely managed to suppress his laughter. Rey? A lady? Not likely. He was well aware of his daughter's dreams of becoming a knight, and although Satine would push for her daughter's betrothal, Obi-wan would let her choose her own fate. Nevertheless, he was not going to go against the king for something so arbitrary, so he tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"Good. Prepare to travel at first light, the day after tomorrow from now." With that, Anakin left the graveyard, his dark cloak trailing behind him. Of course Anakin would only want to stay on Tatooine for a day. The memories were far too painful for him. Obi-wan watched him leave before making his way to the graves furthest away from the gates. The graves of the Jedi who had lost their lives, fighting for what they believed in. He bent down in front of one particular headstone, covered with moss and bright daffodils.

His master always did have an affinity for the living Force.

"I shall never forget your teachings, Master. And some part of me hopes that Anakin has not forgotten them either."

Parsecs away, a diminutive green Jedi Master opened his eyes, awake from his years-long Force meditation at last.

It was back.

 **A big thanks to everyone who has reviewed this fic! Also, to Nat, most of Rey and company are teenagers or in their older twenties. Characters like Obi-wan, Satine, Anakin and Padmé are obviously a lot older.**


	3. Chapter 3

Rey was furious.

It was bad enough that the King had come to her beloved home on Tatooine and disrupted her life so thoroughly, but now she was told that her father must travel to his palace on Coruscant and help him rule the kingdoms.

And Rey had to come with him, while Satine stayed behind to manage the affairs of the province of Tatooine.

"It's not fair Chewie. Why do papa and I have to leave home? Why can't papa just tell the king no? He doesn't want to leave either, I know he doesn't, and neither do I. I mean the royal family is nice and all, but still... I don't want to leave. Atleast you and Han will be coming with me," Rey said mournfully. Chewie grunted in response, patting the girl's shoulder.

Mother and father had been arguing frequently over the last day, with Satine absolutely distraught at both her husband and her daughter leaving her.

But a part of Rey knew that she didn't have a choice. None of them did. The king gave an order, and his subjects would obey. That was just the way things worked; that was the way things had always worked for longer than Rey had been born.

Once, it had been different. Rey had heard enough whispers of a Republic to know that it had existed. And from what her parents had told her, the Republic hadn't been a perfect system, but it was better than what existed now.

"Rey! Come on, your father is waiting for you," Satine called out. Rey rose up from her place at the top of a small sand dune, running to her mother with Chewie on her heels, taking Satine's hand, squeezing it for comfort.

Satine squeezed back, looking at her daughter with a teary gaze, loose strands of blonde hair coming undone from her bun. "Take care of yourself, my sweet girl. Practice your sewing skills and dancing; Force knows they need improvement, especially if you are to be a lady of the court. And Rey... be careful. The capital city is very different from Tatooine, and the royal court is like a pack of vultures. They will rip you apart and use you for their own ends to gain a scrap of power. Trust no one."

Rey nodded grimly, slightly taken aback by her mother's stark words.

The three of them walked in silence to the carriages, where Rey's father was waiting for them. The family exchanged their final goodbyes before putting their luggage in the carriage and getting inside.

Rey stuck her head out the window, waving back to her mother as the carriage went around the bend. Satine chuckled ever so slightly, waving back, blue eyes locking with brown ones, a hidden message in her icy orbs.

 _Be careful_.

* * *

Obi-wan sighed and popped his head out the window once more. The journey had been long, but finally, they had arrived at Coruscant.

Tall, elegant manor houses with marble pillars passed into Obi-wan's line of sight. He saw the opera house and the ruins of the Senate building, once the pinnacle of democracy, now nothing more than a crumbling structure that had fallen into disrepair. Of course, no one wanted to repair it.

Men and women walked around wearing ostentatious dresses and suits. The entire place spoke of luxury and wealth, but the obvious materialism somehow robbed the place of any natural beauty.

"Papa? Are we there yet?" Rey grumbled, already sick of being stuck in the carriage for days now. "Yes darling, we're here. Welcome to the capital."

The two of them stepped out of the carriage and entered the palace. They were the last to arrive since they had been the last to depart, and the halls of the castle were filled with people going about their business.

"Rey? Let Han take you to your rooms. I need to attend a council meeting with the king. Princess Leia has invited you to sew with her, and I suggest you take her up on the offer." Rey made a face before following her father's trusted guards to their chambers, while Obi-wan made his way to the Council room.

Obi-wan entered the large room and found papers of battle plans, amongst other things, scattered around the room. Clearly the Royal Council had been busy.

"Lord Kenobi, welcome back to Coruscant. We were delighted to hear that the king had finally chosen a new advisor. Come, sit. His royal highness will be here shortly," Councillor Mas Amedda greeted him, his words laced with false sincerity.

Obi-wan forced a smile, nodding to each of the Councilors before taking a seat and studying each of them. There was Mas Amedda, a man whose loyalty shifted with the wind. Why Anakin thought he could trust him, Obi-wan had no idea. There was Halle Burtoni, of House Burtoni, a notoriously crafty and power-hungry woman with a sickly pallor and malevolent violet eyes.

Next to her sat two men that made Obi-wan's blood boil; Captain Rex and Commander Cody, of House Clone. Once loyal soldiers, they had led the massacre of their vassal lords, the Jedi, under the command of a General Skywalker. A few other Councilors Obi-wan didn't recognize and the head of the banking clan were speaking with him.

Last but not least, Bail Organa occupied the chair closest to Obi-wan himself. A kind, older man from the rich province of Alderaan, Bail had chosen to accept Anakin as his king on order to save his people from slaughter, a decision Obi-wan couldn't really fault him for. "It's good to see you again, old friend," Bail Organa whispered as the other councilors talked amongst themselves.

"But you should not have come back."

Bail's words take him back, and he stared at the former senator in shock. "What? Why?"

"A person like you does not belong in Coruscant, Obi-wan, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Trust me, you would've been much happier taking care of your people on Tatooine, tending to your moisture farms and living a simple life away from all the politics of the royal court."

Obi-wan never has the chance to ask him exactly what he meant by that because seconds later, Anakin walks through the door. He nodded at all of the Councilors, a small smile on his face upon seeing Obi-wan, and took the seat right next to him.

"Alright, first order of business is managing the finances and reviewing some ordinances. Sit tight everyone, it'll be a long session. Oh, and we'll be having a ball and a sword-fighting tournament, in honor of our newest addition. It'll give the people some entertainment," Anakin added.

Obi-wan kept his face neutral. In his opinion, that would be a drastic waste of funds which could go towards actually helping the people instead, but that was an issue he would bring up another time.

* * *

Rey decided that if Coruscant was to be her new home, the least she could do was go exploring.

She had already had a perfectly boring time sewing with Leia and her ladies, although Han kept making crude japes that made her giggle, while the others looked aghast. Princess Leia was so furious she kicked Han out, saying that it didn't matter if he was supposed to protect Rey or not, but there was no way she was going to tolerate one more disgusting joke coming out of his filthy mouth. Rey had no idea why Han got under her skin so much, but she decided that if Han had made those jokes about her, she wouldn't be too pleased either.

Rey had always thought the ladies and nobles on Tatooine were boring, but all the ones on Coruscant ever talked about was dresses, getting married, sewing, and parties. It was a mundane conversation, to say the least, and Rey was all too happy when it was over.

She crawled through the tunnel on her hands and knees. The Imperial Palace had once been the Jedi Temple, and from her father's stories Rey had surmised that there were a quite a few secret passages hidden inside the massive structure. She had easily found an old one that her father had told her of, and was currently exploring it. She came out the exit, only to find herself in the stables.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you have a guard with you? It's dangerous for a little girl to be wandering around on her own."

Rey whirled around to come face to face with Prince Luke. Described by many as the most handsome man in all the kingdoms(besides his father of course), Luke's hair seemed to glow in the sunlight, and his keen blue eyes, the color of forget-me-nots, brimming with curiosity.

"I'm not a little girl," Rey stated petulantly. "I'm only a couple years younger than you!"

"More than a couple years, but I suppose you have a point," Luke shrugged. "Here, my lady, let me escort you back to your rooms."

"No thanks, I'd rather be here anyway," Rey replied, rejecting his offer. "And anyways, I'm no lady."

Luke raised his eyebrows in amusement. "My sister used to say the same thing, but my mother made a lady out of her."

"Well, I'm not your sister. I'm going to be a knight, and knights ride horses, so I'd rather be here. Which stalls have my father's horses?"

"The ones over there." Luke gestured to the stall at the end of the stables, before realizing what she had said and bursting into laughter. Rey scowled at him although she was honestly quite used to that reaction whenever she told someone of her aspirations. She went over to the stall and took out her favorite horse, easily getting up on the horse and trotting over to where the prince was. "What are you doing here, your highness? Shouldn't you be preparing for the tournament?"

At this, Luke scowled. "I've already practiced enough to last me a lifetime," Luke said bitterly. He turned his head, looking wistfully at the skyline, alit by the setting sun. "I'm sorry about laughing at you. That was rude of me. To be honest... I get it. You want something, by you're restrained by what everyone else expects of you. Believe me, I know what it's like to have an impossible dream."

Rey almost retorted that there was no way a pretentious prince like Luke would ever understand what it was like, to want something so badly but be constrained by the rules of an archaic society.

However, she stopped at the look on his face. It was filled with a longing that Rey recognized.

She saw it in her eyes every time she looked in a mirror. Adventure. Excitement.

 _A Jedi craves not these things._

For the first time, Rey wondered what it was really like to be a crown prince.

* * *

The tournament was a huge affair. Every single noble in all of Coruscant was there, and the stands were packed.

"And up next, we have the fearsome Boba Fett and the fan-favorite, Prince Skywalker!" the announcer screamed, and the crowd cheered as the two combatants entered the arena.

"Papa, Prince Luke isn't going to die, is he?" Rey asked fearfully, clutching Obi-wan's arm. Boba Fett was known as a brutal murderer, and Obi-wan didn't know who in their right mind made _him_ a knight. "Of course not. Fett works for the crown, he wouldn't dare harm the crown prince."

"Don't worry, my lady. I've watched the prince train ever since he was a young boy, and he's very talented. He'll beat Fett for sure," a stormtrooper whispered behind her, and Rey turned around, looking at him gratefully. "Thank you, Finn." Obi-wan narrowed his eyes and held his daughter a little closer to his side. He didn't know who this "Finn" was, but it bothered him that Rey was so close to some ruthless mercenary.

Strangely, Finn shot him an understanding look before leaning away, sitting at a respective distance from both of the Kenobis. A woman wearing diamond jewelry and an intricate maroon dress with golden embroidery took his place.

The Queen.

"Your grace," Obi-wan murmured, slightly surprised that Padmé wasn't sitting with her husband, the king. "Obi-wan, please. Call me Padmé. We were good friends once, and now that you're back in the capital, at my husband's side, I'm sure we can be friends again."

Obi-wan nodded stiffly. Anyone listening in on their conversation might think that Padmé was being kind, extending an offer of friendship towards him.

Obi-wan knew better.

Her words were carefully laced with threats. It was evident in the way she emphasized "at my husband's side," her eyes filled with warning and saccharine affection for her old friend. Padmé Amidala had been a politician, and a good one at that. She was a master of words.

"Papa! Pay attention!" Rey hissed, tugging on her father's sleeve as the duel commenced.

"It looks like your daughter could learn her manners, Lord Kenobi. My daughter and I would be more than happy to teach her some," the Queen suggested, looking at Rey with slight scorn in her gaze. "Thank you for the offer, your majesty, but we're fine." Obi-wan gritted his teeth.

He turned around to watch the duel between the infamous knight and bounty hunter, and the crown prince. It was progressing at an alarming intensity, steel clanging against steel, neither able to get the advantage. While Luke kept a calm head, Fett grew angrier and angrier as the duel reached a stalemate.

Suddenly, Boba kicked Luke and threw the sand from the arena into his eyes. Obi-wan's heart clenched at the dirty trick, and as Luke backed away, Fett disarmed him, kicking him into the dirt.

It happened so fast that Obi-wan almost missed it. One minute, Boba Fett was standing over Luke, ready to tap him with the sword to make his victory official. Suddenly, Fett flew back, crashing into the stands of the audience. Screams were heard, and the arena descended into pandemonium, before suddenly growing quiet.

"Luke, no," Princess Leia whispered, an utterly horrified look on her face. If Obi-wan had been thinking clearly, he might have wondered how exactly Leia knew about a phenomenon that had been outlawed before her time.

Indeed, the younger members of the audience were clearly confused as to what had just happened, a sharp contrast from the older ones. The older ones, who had been around during the times of the Jedi and the Sith, the time of the Old Republic. The older ones, who knew exactly what young Luke Skywalker had done, who understood precisely why the king looked as if he would murder his own son, his face filled with fury.

Obi-wan knew, too, and the dread in his heart grew as Luke Skywalker stood up, raising his head to meet his father's terrifying gaze. He knew what the boy had done in a split second, a decision that may have enormous repercussions.

Luke Skywalker had used the Force.


	4. Chapter 4

"What were you thinking?"

Anakin's voice was deadly calm, but there was fire in his yellow-tinted eyes. Luke, for his part, refused to tremble before his father's gaze, meeting his eyes with a spark of defiance. Obi-wan stood off to the side, watching the confrontation anxiously.

The tournament had been cancelled, and Anakin had ordered all of the Council members except Obi-wan to leave the room. The air was charged with tension, and Obi-wan prepared to intervene between the warring father and son.

"I'm sorry, Father. I couldn't help it! I saw Boba Fett coming towards me, and I just... reacted. I didn't mean to use the... you know."

"You didn't mean to? Luke, you are the Crown Prince! Do you have any idea what it looks like, for the prince to break our most important law? What were you thinking!" Anakin practically exploded, clenching his hand in a fist and stepping forward so that he was inches away from his son.

"Maybe my Force powers wouldn't have been so out of control if you had allowed me to train! Allowed me to learn how to control them!"

A deadly silence ripped through the air, and Obi-wan stepped forward, his heart thumping in his ribcage, before the situation could escalate.

"Anakin, that's enough. He didn't mean it." Obi-wan laid a hand on the arm of his old friend, hoping it would help him relax. Instead, Anakin's hate-filled gaze turned to Obi-wan, and he knew that he had only made things worse.

"Luke, go to your rooms. Now," Obi-wan ordered. He barely knew the boy, and he had no right to order the prince to do anything. But Luke seemed to sense the same danger that Obi-wan did, for he left the room immediately, shooting the elder man a grateful look.

And then there was just Obi-wan and Anakin.

"Of course you would take his side."

"Anakin, let me—"

"He's always been like this. He thinks I don't remember, but I _do_ ," Anakin paced, frustrated. "When Luke was little, he was always fascinated by the Jedi. I didn't know it at the time, or I would've out a stop to it, but it turns out his tutor, Beru Lars, was a Jedi sympathizer. She filled his head with lies. Even after and her husband were executed, I don't think he ever stopped believing in the _brave, heroic Jedi_ ," Anakin stated sarcastically, before shaking his head in disgust.

"I'm sure you did everything you could to indoctrinate your son, and instill in him the hatred of the Jedi that you now possess." This time it was Obi-wan's turn to be sarcastic, the bitterness seeping out of his words. Suddenly, all he could think about was his fallen comrades and his home, destroyed by Skywalker and the clones.

A recklessness filled him, and Obi-wan walked over to where Anakin stood, looking him in the eyes. "What did the Jedi ever do to you, Anakin? What did we do?"

"Don't. Ever. Bring that up again." Anakin's voice was laced with venom. If Obi-wan had been a man twenty years younger, he would've thrown caution to the winds and finally, _finally_ held Anakin accountable for all the horrible things he's done. But he had a daughter. He had Rey, and he couldn't risk anything happening to her.

So, he took a step back, and nodded in acquiescence. "Don't blame Luke, Anakin. He couldn't control it. He will, in time."

Too late, Obi-wan realized that definitely wasn't the right thing to say.

"Control it? And who will teach hin to control it, Obi-wan? Will it be you, teaching my son the ways of the Jedi? Is that why you came here? To turn my son against me? You won't succeed. I promise you that," Anakin spat before turning around and leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

Obi-wan sighed.

"Well, he always did have a flair for dramatics."

* * *

Rey was nervous.

She knew that the Force was outlawed on Coruscant. Really, it was outlawed everywhere, but she and Papa had practiced it all the time. In secret, of course, but on Tatooine, the rules were less strictly enforced, and the men were more loyal to Papa than a King who lived thousands of miles away.

But things were different here. The King had been furious when Luke had used the Force(for some reason, she hadn't even considered that he might be like her, like Papa). She hoped her new friend hadn't gotten in trouble.

She had just ditched her dancing tutor and was walking down the halls when she spied Papa, speaking quietly to the Prince in a desolate corridor in the West Wing.

Strange. Everyone knew what the West Wing was, or what it had been. An abandoned Temple, where Force-users had trained for centuries. For that reason, everyone avoided it. She hid behind a pillar, peeking around it and straining to hear their conversation.

"—talked to the king. Just wait for him to cool down, I'm sure this will blow over. Anakin always did have a temper, but he usually comes around."

Luke nodded before saying, "Thank you, Councillor. For speaking on my behalf."

An awkward silence stretched between the two, before Luke quietly stated, "I heard about you, a couple times. Your name was whispered in these halls often. Sometimes, father would tell me about you himself. Depending on the kind of mood he was in, you were either a traitor, or a hero. As for me... well, when I was little, I imagined you as some crazy old wizard, exiled to Tatooine. Exiled for justice. Exiled for doing the right thing."

"Careful, Luke. Those statements border on treason. That's the last thing you need to be accused of right now. Come on, let us go back to the palace."

"Lord Kenobi, if I may ask one last favor. This isn't the first time my powers have gone out of control. Could you help me? Train me to control them? I mean, I can't exactly asked father, and if I just learned to control them, than maybe he wouldn't be so disappointed in me. Maybe I could prevent something like this from happening again."

At Prince Luke's words, Aryn raced down the corridor, silently slipping out of sight. Whatever Papa's answer to Luke's inquiry would be, she didn't want to hear it.

Because she knew what Luke was asking her father to do. He didn't just ask Obi-wan to train him in the ways of the Jedi, in the ways of the Force.

He was asking Obi-wan to commit treason.

* * *

Obi-wan was on edge.

Anakin had been enraged the other day. Now, he was positively gleeful, a smug smile on his face. Strangely enough, Padmé, Luke, and Leia all looked upset, their frowns a stark contrast to Anakin's grin. When Luke saw Obi-wan enter the throne room, he shot him an apologetic look, which did nothing to set his mind at ease.

"Attention, my good subjects! It is my pleasure to announce that, after much deliberation, I have found a suitable bride and groom for my son and daughter, respectively. They shall be betrothed today, and a ball shall be held in their honor. When they turn twenty one and turn of age, my son and my daughter _will_ wed the ones I have chosen for them."

Shocked gasps and murmurs broke out. Obi-wan couldn't believe it. Why hadn't Anakin consulted his Council about this?

"It is my pleasure to announce that Princess Leia will be betrothed to Prince Isolder of the Hapes Consortium. The crown prince, Luke Skywalker, will be betrothed to Rey Kenobi, of Tatooine."

Dimly, Obi-wan was aware of scattered applause at the announcement, and Rey, her eyes growing wide, a horrified expression on her face to match Obi-wan's.

This couldn't be happening. He thought he'd have time, that Rey would have time... but once again, Anakin had taken matters into his own hands.

"Obi-wan, I see that we'll be sharing a grandchild soon. How pleasant," Padmé stepped in front of him, lacing her words with a saccharine affection. "Personally, I thought the princess of Serenno was a better match, but your daughter will do, I suppose. She is only a few years younger than my son, after all. And Anakin doesn't always consult me on these things, so given the circumstances, I guess it's acceptable." If Obi-wan had been paying more attention, he might've heard the bitterness in Padmé's voice.

But he was still reeling from Anakin's announcement, and found himself unable to process her next words. "I mean, atleast she's beautiful, Obi-wan. What with her dark hair, tan skin, and hazel eyes... strange coloring for a child of yours. I mean, both you and Satine have blue eyes. Her family members all have blonde hair, and you have auburn. I've always thought that is was a bit unusual; your child shares none of your features."

Obi-wan stiffened. "I don't know what you're implying, your grace."

"I'm not implying anything, my dear old friend," Padmé whispered before leaving him standing in the middle of the room. Obi-wan's head was pounding from Rey's betrothal and Padmé's questioning, but somehow he made it to the throne of the king.

"Anakin, you can't do this. You didn't even consult me, or Rey! How dare-"

"How dare I, Obi-wan? I can do anything I want. I am the King. In case you're wondering, this is a warning. If you try to turn my son against me, then your daughter will suffer as well," Anakin glared at him sternly.

"An eye for an eye, my old friend. A daughter for a son."

* * *

Rey didn't even remember running out of the room.

The world became a whirl of colors as she ran out of the palace and to the stables. She got her horse and rode out of the stables. The foliage of the forest all blended together, and the world around her disappeared entirely. She wasn't a lady, betrothed to the prince. She was Rey Kenobi, daughter of one of the greatest Jedi who ever lived. It was her destiny to be a knight, no matter what some stupid king said.

It wasn't fair. _It wasn't fair_.

"Rey! Wait... Rey, wait!" Obi-wan called out, catching up to her with his own steed. If it had been anyone else, Rey would've kept riding, but it was papa, so she stopped. "Why didn't you stop him? Why papa?" Rey called out angrily, as she got down from her horse.

Obi-wan paused, looking at her with regret-filled eyes. Slowly, he pulled out a wooden sword from the hilt. He then wordlessly handed Rey a sword of her own.

He got into the Soresu ready position, and Rey countered with a Djem So stance. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment.

Then, they duelled.

Rey released her rage, her frustration with her inability to control her future, into the Force. She went on the offensive, striking her father on the left side, where she knew he often let his guard down. Her father countered with a strike of his own, creating a nearly impenetrable shield around himself. His defense was impeccable.

They went on like that for a while, exchanging parries and blows. Finally, Rey tossed her sword aside, jumping in her father's arms. "Please, Papa. Don't make me do this."

"I'll find a way, Rey. I promise, I'll find a way."

 **UP NEXT: Rey makes her feelings known to the King, Leia is annoyed, and Luke still dreams**


End file.
